Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-05-05
SECTION vIII.-THE vIcKsBURG CAM
PAIGN.

SOPyf tJWtcUs 1904 W ne Il. ~ hett0yy @feAepu-
per Company.
SECTION vIII.-THE vIcKsBURG CAM
PAIGN.
Vicksburg was called the Gibraltar of the
West. 1t was certainly the greatest
stronghold on the Mississippi river and
after the fall Of the defenses above and the
capture of Forts st. Phillip and jackson
near the mouth with the consequent fall of
New Orleans, Vicksburg became the key
to the further obstruction of the river by
the Confederates. After the failure of
Sherman's attack in 1862 a rendezvous for
troops was made at Milliken's Bend, La,
twenty miles above Vicksburg.
After the non-success of various plans
for the capture of the coveted strongh old,
Grant in the spring of 1868, resolved to get
position on the river below by marching
his army across the peninsula, in Louisiana
opposite Vicksburg formed by an abrupt
bend in the Mississippi.
For this expedition preparations were
begun In March. Toward the latter part
of this month the writer's regiment was
ordered aboard boat for Vicksburg
Getting all ready and loaded consumed
whole day, and as night drew near se-
veTo snow-storm came up. The boat got
under way about midnight. Next morning
the storm had subsidized and the sun came
out warm and bright
On the way several g1n-boats were
passed and always spoken to as they pa
trolled the river and knew points where
passing vessels were most liable to be fired
into By gucrillas.
The sailors on the gun-boats always
seemed clean and we'll dressed, and the
deck and all parts of the vessel in sight
appeared neat and orderly
In more than one instance. too, it was
noticed that Jack, having just done his
washing, had hung it out to dry upon
line stretched upon the gun-boat deck.
Most of the gun-boats were heavily mailed
with iron, hence were called iro,a-clads.
They were not all built after the same pat
tern, however
Another kind of warlike craft were the
tta-elads. These were ordinary steam boats
protected with thin iron plating that was
impervious TO musket balls. These were
armed with several light pieces of artillery
and manned with a number of sharp-shoot-
ers. On the trip down the river several
boats laden with troops were encountered.
Toward noon on the second day Milliken's
Bend twenty miles above Vicksburg, on
the Louisiana side was reached, and here
The place selected was near the Ievee that
all along the low lands next the river
had been throwing up to protect the ada
cent plantations in time of high water. In
many places these had broken, and nearly
the whole region was inundated; the bay
Gus and lagoons had meantine grown into
inland seas.
April 9, 1868 the division to which the
writer's regiment belonged was reviewed
by General Grant, The writer hal never
before seen that officer, and hence as near
view as possible was obtained
He was on horseback, and attended by
few staff officers.
AS each regiment passed in his front the
officers presented (raised) their swords,
the men their pieces, in salutation. Grant,
in recognition, quietly raised his hat. Dur
ing the following three months General
Grant became familiar figure At this
time he was possibly little heavier for
his stature than the average man, yet was
not at all overburdened with flesh. He
wore short, stubby, slightly reddish-brow
whiskers, and seemed to hold his head a
little to one side; this gave him modest
appearance.
A large tent had been stretched, and in
this upon cots the sick were placed and
made as comfortable as possible One
thing they certainly had in abundance was
fresh air. The water used came from the
river which, at the time, was very high
and full of sediment A bucket Of water
dipped from it and allowed to stand awhile
would have at its bottom more than an inch
of settings.
But Mississippi river water is considered
healthy, ana Is quite pleasant in taste
Pretty soon after the review came an or
der to marching orders.n The sick
were directed to be all taken to a hospital
boat, by which they would be taken up the
river Accordingly they were put in am
balances and, in charge of the writer, taken
to the place designated.
Already the writer has used several
times the word ambulance; this, to the read
er whose memory does not reach back to
war time, may need explanation. An am
batlaace, then, is simply light vehicle on
springs with shallow bed and a strong
canvas cover over head. The back end
gate worked on hinges at the bottom so it
could be instantly let down and the very
sick or badly injured slipped out, and not
lifted over avoidable distinctions.
AS before said, the sick were put into
ambulances, such as were able sitting on
their blankets rolled up, those very sick
lying upon theirs spread out.
A tram of ambulances loaded with sick
made a dreary procession, but at the head
of one of these the writer led the way to a
hospital boat, named, if the writer's mem
DRY serves him well, the I'D. A. January"
Each sick man when taken aboard had his
name checked. The name, rank, company,
regiment, brigade, etc, were given care
fully to the authorities on the boat. Z
After the sick were aboard and made
comfortable the writer took occasion to
look about the boat and was much pleased.
Although he had frequently visited the